BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

BUYING I GUIDE
sion from the Basarin cru will blow you away.
This thickly extracted Barbaresco opens with a
rich, dark appearance and opulent aromas of
sweet spice, leather, toasted almond, vanilla and
ripe cherry fruit. This is a big, masculine wine
that would pair with pork medallions and
caramelized onions. The finish is soft and slightly
sweet. Keep it in your cellar 10 years or more. A
Marc de Grazia selection; various American
importers. Cellar Selection. —M.L.
94
Bruno Rocca 2007 Rabajà (Barbaresco);
$NA. This year’s best expression
from the celebrated Rabajà cru, Bruno
Rocca presents a beautifully integrated Barbaresco
that shows equal parts fruit (prune, plum
and cassis) and spice (vanilla, root beer and
clove). The wine is smooth, silky and very enduring
on the close with excellent structure. Drink
after 2015. Imported by Trilussa Wine Company .
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
94
Castello di Neive 2007 Santo Stefano
(Barbaresco); $NA. You’ll
absolutely love this wine. Barbaresco Santo Stefano
offers intensity, harmony and imparts delicious
aromas of sweet spice, wild berries, licorice,
tar and light touches of smoke or graphite. It
boasts a smooth, rich texture with bright acidity
on the close. This is a very pure and pristine
expression of Nebbiolo that will live long in the
cellar. Cellar Selection. —M.L.
94
Orlando Abrigo 2007 Vigna Montersino
(Barbaresco); $NA. Executed
in a plump, modern style (the wine is aged
in small oak barrique), this delicious cru expression
from Barbaresco is truly irresistible. The
extraction is dark, thick and redolent of cherry,
currant, blackberry, vanilla, spice and cinnamon.
In the mouth, it is generous, smooth and longlasting.
This wine will appeal to modernists more
than traditionalists. Imported by Ionia Atlantic.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
94
Poderi Elia 2007 Serracapelli (Barbaresco);
$50. This outlier wine
sparked much controversy at the Nebbiolo blind
tastings because of the thickness of its extraction
and the darkness of its appearance. Serracapelli is
a beautifully rich wine that doesn’t necessarily
highlight Barbaresco typicity. You’ll get opulent
aromas of black cherry, spice, leather and moist
tobacco. The mouthfeel is rich, round and velvety.
Imported by Small Vineyards LLC. —M.L.
93
Albino Rocca 2007 Vigneto Brich
Ronchi (Barbaresco); $NA. Vigneto
Brich Ronchi opens with bright and plump fruit
tones that recall black currant, cherry and cassis
followed by elegant tones of smoke, leather and
tobacco. The wine is intense and powerful with a
soft, velvety texture backed by structured tannins
that give it backbone and staying power. Very
nice. A Marc de Grazia selection; various American
importers. —M.L.
93
Ceretto 2006 Bricco Asili Bricco
Asili (Barbaresco); $154. From the
celebrated Bricco Asili cru, this Barbaresco is a
beautiful embodiment of elegance, grace, harmony
and complexity. Fine aromas of small berry
fruit, violets, cola, dark spice and fresh licorice
root peel off layer after layer. The wine shows
excellent structure, with tight, firm tannins and a
bright touch of acidity on the long finish.
Imported by Wilson Daniels Ltd. —M.L.
93
Massimo Penna 2007 Sorì Sartù
(Barbaresco); $NA. Here’s a sophisti-
cated and austere Barbaresco from the excellent
2007 vintage with an attractive garnet color
backed by aromas of spice, mesquite, cedar and
black fruit. The oak element is still overt, so give
this wine five years of cellar aging. That wonderful
intensity and acidity will ensure that it ages
gracefully. —M.L.
93
Moccagatta 2007 Bric Balin (Barbaresco);
$NA. This gorgeous Bar-
baresco from the celebrated Bric Balin cru opens
with natural heft and opulent layers of cherry,
vanilla, wild berry, spice, old leather, chocolate
and smoke. The wine’s consistency is on the dark,
heavy side and the feeling it imparts on the palate
is one of richness and smoothness. A Marc de
Grazia selection; various American importers.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
93
Montaribaldi 2007 Palazzina (Barbaresco);
$NA. Here’s a big and
brawny Barbaresco with loads of intensity and
fruity pulp (as demonstrated by the wine’s dark
appearance). The wine moves thickly over the
palate, imparting perfumed tones of church
incense and wild berries along the way. It also
offers tart, firm tannins and promises a long aging
future ahead. Drink after 2015. Cellar Selection.
—M.L.
93
Orlando Abrigo 2007 Vigna Rongalio
Meruzzano (Barbaresco);
3 0 | W I N E E N T H U S I A S T | D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 0
$NA. From young vintner Giovanni Abrigo in
the Treiso area, this is a lovely expression of Barbaresco
with immediate aromas of cherry, cassis,
spice, smoke, leather and tobacco. The wine is
approachable now, but it’s also built to last: natural
concentration, bright fruit flavors and acidity
will hold ten years or more. Imported by Ionia
Atlantic. —M.L.
93
Pietro Rinaldi 2007 Vigna San
Cristoforo (Barbaresco); $45. Here’s
a bold and modern Nebbiolo from the San
Cristoforo cru with a rich, extracted appearance
followed by intense aromas of ripe cherry, spice,
black licorice, slate roof and dried tobacco leaf.
The tannins are dusty and drying but give excellent
structure to the wine’s overall richness and
opulence. Imported by VinUS Inc. —M.L.
93
Sottimano 2007 Cottá (Barbaresco);
$55. Oak aging (with 25%
new French barrel) has helped shape sweet aromas
of vanilla and exotic spice backed by loads of
cherry and ripe forest berry. Characteristic aromas
of violets, wet earth and graphite appear at
the back and the wine is firm, thick and smooth
on the close. Consider long cellar aging: 10 years
or more. Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines.
Cellar Selection. —M.L.
93
Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi
di Gresy 2005 Gaiun Martinenga
(Barbaresco); $85. This wine would make a
great impression on an elegantly dressed table
with a fine meat-based menu. The wine’s natural
structure and freshness make it very food friendly
and its elegant aromas of cassis, small berry, cola
and white truffle will evolve beautifully throughout
your meal. Imported by Dalla Terra Winery
Direct. —M.L.
93
Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi
di Gresy 2005 Camp Gros Martinenga
(Barbaresco); $85. This special cru
selection Barbaresco offers enormous intensity
and persistency of flavor. This is a supremely elegant
wine with ethereal aromas of cassis, tar,
licorice and root beer. There’s tannic structure
and a fine texture here and the wine should age
well for many more years. Imported by Dalla
Terra Winery Direct. —M.L.
93
Ugo Lequio 2007 Gallina (Barbaresco);
$NA. Ugo Lequio offers one
of the best expressions of Nebbiolo from the Gallina
cru. His beautiful Barbaresco from Neive